Light Watkins, 'Simplify the Approach'
Dan Harris speaks with Light Watkins, a Vedic meditation teacher and author of "Bliss More," about the differences between mindfulness and Vedic meditation. Watkins shares his journey from modeling to teaching, emphasizing how meditation enhances intuition and simplifies the approach for enjoyable, tangible experiences.
Deep Dive Analysis
15 Topic Outline
Meditation for Career Decisions and Life Changes
Comparing Mindfulness and Transcendental Meditation
Light Watkins' Journey from Modeling to Meditation
Introduction to Vedic Meditation Practice
Passive Mantra Use and Settling the Mind
The Concept of Primordial Sounds and Mantras
Optimal Meditation Duration and Relaxation Response
Learning Vedic Meditation Without a Teacher
Meditation's Role in Enhancing Intuition
The Story Behind Light Watkins' Name Change
Embracing a Nomadic Lifestyle
Finding Inner Comfort Amidst External Uncertainty
Meditation for Awareness, Not Perfection
"Bliss More" Book: Simplifying Meditation
Dan Harris's Core Insight: The Trainable Mind
6 Key Concepts
Vedic Meditation
A meditation tradition originating from the ancient Indian Vedas, focusing on going beyond the surface mind to a state of 'oneness.' It uses a silently repeated sound (mantra) in a passive way to initiate a settling effect, leading to a state of thoughtless awareness.
Mantra (in Vedic Meditation)
A sound, often primordial, repeated silently and passively in the mind to initiate a settling effect. The technique is not about focusing on the mantra but allowing it to guide the mind to deeper states of rest.
Passive Approach (in Vedic Meditation)
A method of meditation where the practitioner introduces a mantra without trying to stop other thoughts or exclude other experiences. The goal is to allow the mind to settle naturally and meander away from surface awareness, rather than actively focusing or concentrating.
Relaxation Response
A physiological state coined by Dr. Herbert Benson, described as the most rested the nervous system can become, opposite to the stress response. It can be elicited through various techniques, including meditation, by sitting comfortably, being passive in the mind, and having a point of focus or a mantra.
Primordial Sound
In the ancient Vedic tradition, these are sounds from the Sanskrit language that are believed to contain the natural vibration or essence of what they represent, rather than an arbitrarily assigned meaning. Examples include 'Ohm' and 'Ahum.'
Mind as Trainable
The core insight that the mind's capabilities, such as focus, calm, and self-awareness, can be developed and strengthened through practice, similar to how a muscle is trained.
7 Questions Answered
Meditation can help by boosting overall calm and focus, making one less swayed by powerful emotions related to identity and finances. It can also help distinguish ego noise from true insights, leading to better decision-making.
There's no definitive answer as both have significant scientific research supporting their benefits. It's often recommended to try both for a substantial period (months to a year) to see which one resonates more, as the 'best' practice is the one you actually do.
Mindfulness meditation typically focuses on observing the breath and whatever arises in awareness, returning when distracted. Vedic/TM uses a mantra (a silently repeated sound) in a passive way to allow the mind to settle naturally into deeper states of rest, rather than actively focusing or witnessing.
While traditionally taught face-to-face, Light Watkins' experience suggests that people can have profound experiences and learn the technique effectively from a book like 'Bliss More,' democratizing access to the practice.
Dr. Herbert Benson's research in the 1970s suggested that the body can sustain the 'relaxation response' for about 20 minutes, after which it may start to revert back to a waking state of consciousness.
For Light Watkins, meditation enhanced his intuition, making the 'still small voice' loud and unambiguous. This allowed him to take perceived risks, like changing careers or adopting a nomadic lifestyle, by following his inner guidance.
No, meditation does not eliminate life's challenges or lead to perfection. Instead, it cultivates awareness, helping individuals navigate difficulties, work on relationships, and accept that everyone, even long-term meditators, is still 'getting a little bit better' rather than having it all figured out.
24 Actionable Insights
1. Recognize Mind’s Trainability
Understand and internalize the fundamental truth that the mind is trainable, recognizing this as “good news” that empowers you to actively work on changing your mental patterns and experiences.
2. Cultivate Happiness as Muscle
Approach happiness not as a mere choice, but as a muscle that needs to be consistently cultivated and strengthened so you can reliably tap into it even when external circumstances are unfavorable.
3. Amplify Intuition with Meditation
Engage in meditation to enhance your intuition and make your “still small voice” loud and unambiguous, which can empower you to take risks and follow your inner guidance more confidently.
4. Cultivate Inner Comfort
Cultivate comfort from within yourself, recognizing that external circumstances are impermanent; by tapping into and expanding this inner comfort, you can be at ease anywhere and navigate life’s uncertainties.
5. Release Perfectionism Pressure
Do not view meditation or life as a “game of perfection”; instead, embrace the ongoing process of self-improvement, seek support like therapy, and work on relationships without the pressure of having everything “figured out.”
6. Redefine “Bad” at Meditation
Disregard the notion of being “bad” at meditation; instead, understand that getting distracted multiple times is a normal and expected part of the practice, particularly in mindfulness meditation.
7. Do the Meditation You Enjoy
The most effective meditation practice is the one you actually do consistently, so choose a style that resonates with you and that you find enjoyable, as long as it’s not harmful.
8. Commit to Long-Term Practice
When trying a new meditation style, commit to practicing it consistently for several months, or even up to a year, before deciding if it is effective for you.
9. Meditate for Better Career Decisions
Practice meditation to develop a clearer sense of what is “ego noise” versus what is “actually true” in your thoughts, which can help you make better career decisions.
10. Surf Career Emotions with Meditation
Engage in meditation to boost your sense of calm and focus, helping you “surf” powerful emotions related to career changes (identity, finances) rather than being “engulfed by them.”
11. Early Anger Recognition (Mindfulness)
Practice mindfulness to develop self-awareness, enabling you to recognize anger at its onset, which allows you to catch yourself, apologize if needed, and let the emotion pass, rather than acting in prolonged blind rage.
12. Passive Mantra for Settling
In Vedic meditation, use a mantra passively, thinking it silently without intense focus, allowing it to initiate a settling effect on the mind rather than trying to stop other thoughts or exclude other experiences.
13. Minimal Mantra Effort
Begin mantra-based meditation with minimal effort, understanding that your mind will gradually become less dependent on the mantra as it learns to settle on its own, potentially leading to meditations without conscious mantra repetition.
14. Allow Mind to Meander
During Vedic meditation, allow your mind to settle and meander naturally, experiencing thoughts, dreams, or even feeling like you’re falling asleep, without actively trying to stop or control these occurrences.
15. Sit Comfortably for Meditation
When practicing Vedic meditation, sit comfortably with back support, similar to watching television, to prevent your body from becoming a distraction and allow your mind to settle.
16. Limit Meditation to 20 Minutes
To maximize the relaxation response, limit your meditation sessions to approximately 20 minutes, as going beyond 20-30 minutes may cause your body to revert back to a waking state of consciousness.
17. Apply Meditation to Relationships
Aim to integrate the “spaciousness” gained from meditation into your daily life, particularly in challenging personal interactions like talking with family, as this signifies a deeper level of practice.
18. Inspire Others by Practicing
As an “ordinary” person with a regular meditation practice, understand that your example can be more inspiring and relatable to your social circle than that of a professional teacher, encouraging others to try it.
19. Authenticity Inspires Others
Be authentic and transparent about your personal struggles and imperfections, as this makes practices more accessible and inspires others to engage with them.
20. Find Trusted Advisors
When facing big decisions, such as a career change, actively seek out and listen to advice from people you trust.
21. Experiment with Meditation Styles
If you are undecided between different meditation styles, such as Transcendental Meditation or mindfulness, it is worthwhile to try both to see which one resonates more with you.
22. Learn Meditation from Books
While a teacher is beneficial for understanding the nuances of meditation, you can gain initial exposure and have tangible experiences by learning from a book, making the practice more accessible.
23. Understand All Practice Angles
To fully understand and optimize your meditation, pay attention to every detail of the practice, including your sitting posture, timing, and how you handle various thoughts, as these factors significantly affect your internal experience.
24. Directly Test Meditation Methods
Do not blindly accept meditation instructions; instead, follow them, “split test” them against your previous methods, and observe your direct experience to determine if they work for you, continuing if effective and trying alternatives if not.
5 Key Quotes
The best kind of workout you do is that is the one you actually do. And so that's my view on meditation.
Dan Harris
My whole mission has just really become to simplify the approach and to help people start something that they can get excited about because the only way they're going to do it on a regular enough basis to get the benefits from it is if they, on some level, feel some tangible benefit from the beginning.
Light Watkins
If you can have that spaciousness that we get from meditation, when you're talking to your mom, now, you know, you've truly, truly arrived.
Light Watkins
I don't believe that happiness is a choice. I think that happiness is like a muscle that you have to cultivate and strengthen.
Light Watkins
The mind is trainable. And I just think that is, that's the gospel. I think the gospel literally means good news. That's the good news.
Dan Harris
1 Protocols
Vedic Meditation Technique
Light Watkins- Sit comfortably with back support, as if watching television, to prevent the body from being a distraction.
- Close your eyes.
- Introduce a mantra (a silently repeated sound, e.g., 'Ahum') into your mind passively.
- Allow the mantra to initiate a settling effect, meaning you're aware of the sound and other things happening, without trying to stop other thoughts.
- Experience the mind meandering away from surface awareness, potentially having more thoughts, feeling like dreaming, or falling asleep.
- Eventually, without seeking it, reach a state where there are no thoughts or mantra, just a 'void feeling,' which is only recognized after the fact.
- Continue for approximately 20 minutes, as the body can sustain the relaxation response for this duration.